Nothing Like Home
by Memoria Vita
Summary: One-Shot drabble. Cloud Strife lived only to find his way home again after so many years. And there is only one place Gaia's Savior could call home...


This is just a drabble I wrote after watching something totally unrelated to FFVII. I hope you enjoy and I apologize if things are misspelled and dates wrong in the beginning. Reviews always welcome.

I do not own FFVII or any of its characters. This is purely for the entertainment of myself and others.

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200 years ago he fought Sephiroth, 197 years ago the triplets, 196 years ago Deep Ground, 180 years ago Rufus died from his illness having not fully recovered from the Geostigma, 170 years ago Cid died in a flying accident with the latest model of the Shera (crazy old man died doing what he loved), 168 years ago Barret passed from old age with a smile knowing his kids would be safe. 150 years ago, the rest of the Turks died in a blaze of glory stopping the WRO from becoming like old Shinra. 145 years ago, Tifa made it to the Lifestream days after Marlene and Denzel finally married. Yuffie passed on the crown to her son 143 years ago doing what she did best.

After that, life went peacefully with minor outbreaks here and there that happen in any world. A new governmental system came up, one that included all of Gaia's countries. A world government! Heh, he never thought he would live to see the day that something like that happened, but he did. He had seen them go to the moon and back, and had done so himself once. He had trained several students in swordsmanship, who then passed on their knowledge to students of their own. He had helped raised a few of Tifa's and Barret's great-grandkids, years after they had passed.

But after everything was said and done, Cloud Strife, World Savior, Honorable Member of the Gaia World Federation, and Gaia's Chosen, was tired. The only ones still alive were Vincent (who visited when he wasn't out trying to keep up with the times), Shelke (who had grown up some but kept up better than Vincent) and Nanaki. Though to be fair, Cloud visited Nanaki a lot over the years. Gaia herself seemed pleased with the way things were going on her surface, only songs of peace and contentment filled her voice in the bad of Cloud's mind.

That was how things should be, peaceful. After everything he had given up for his planet, after everything he had sacrificed, Cloud Strife knew peace and that was the way he kept it.

However, five years ago he found his strength waning, his body growing tired more easily. The medical field had come a long way but they had told him that even though the Mako had slowed down his body's aging, it was now catching up to him. He was fine with that, after everything that had happened he was fine with it. Though the prospect of actually aging past 24 rather scared him in a way. Even after all these long years, he hadn't aged a day past 24. All thanks to one Professor Hojo and his tinkering. He had found out years ago, that thanks to Hojo and his several dips into the Lifestream, Cloud had over 90% Mako saturation in his blood while Vincent had only 70% was kept alive by the beasts within him and Shelke found another way to keep herself from dying. Something to do with nanobots or some such machine, what mattered there was that she would stay alive as long as Vincent did.

This day, however, found him laying on the grass outside his home some 200 miles away from any city or town next to the shoreline, staring up at the stars and their passage through the heavens. Those who remained alive were with him on this night and could asked for nothing more.

"How long, Cloud?" Vincent, ever the blunt one.

"Soon." Was all he really had to say.

"Where to this time?" Shelke this time.

"Home." They knew that he was at home but they also knew that the other place he could call home was…

"The Lifestream." Stated Nanaki.

"Yes." Gods he was tired. Age, it seemed had finally caught up with him. All of the golden, spikey hair that he had grown out to his knees was now gray but still just as gravity defying, his mako blue eyes were milky in his blindness, the smooth perfect skin he once had was now wrinkled like the old man he was. He would have laughed if he wasn't so tired, but he had to stay awake for just a little longer.

"I have a gift for all of you." He started after a mild cough. "Everything I own and have gathered over these long years is yours now. The Will in my desk will explain it all…"

"Cloud, you didn't have to will us anything, we would have taken care of it for you." Came Vincent's reply, with Shelke and Nanaki agreeing with him.

"You make it sound like I will be coming back."

"As if you could stay away forever."

"True."

A pause, a breath of salty air, and Cloud stood to look back at his three companions surrounding his old wrinkled body. He smiled then, realizing that he was once again his old self, standing in his preserved state that the mako had left him in before he turned and walked into the arms of the only person he had ever truly loved…

"Welcome home, Cloud."

Sephiroth.


End file.
